Till Death Do Us Part 9
by Doug2
Summary: Piper is joined by her sisters to fight one last battle together.


Part 9

"Whoosh!"

Another blast flew across the open space between the slightly green tinted horned demon and Melinda and Patti knocking them both off their feet into the bushes around the old Fleming Office building.

"Stop right there! You don't do that to my daughters," screamed Piper from around the corner. Throwing her fingers out the demon held up his hand reflecting the pulse and reflecting it into a second story window that cracked and cascaded down onto Patti and Melinda.

Thinking quick Melinda vanished with Patti as they appeared next to Piper, Melinda's friend and fellow witch Talia and Ann Matthews, an innocent empath they were guarding.

"Good orb," cried Patti as she held onto Melinda regaining her footing who never had gotten used to the dimensional shuffle routine. The four witches positioned them in front of Ann. Floating a foot of the ground the greenish demon sailed toward them sending another blast in their direction. Piper shoved them around the corner of the building as she got hit.

"Mom!" screamed Patti as she ran toward her sprawled out on the ground. Patti found her disheveled and scraped, but in fair condition.

The demon took advantage of the missing witches and waved his hand at Melinda and Talia. Putting up her hand a force field appeared in front of Melinda, but the strength of the blast drove her backwards into the building while Talia was pushed in the opposite direction.

Patti turned momentarily from her mother concentrating on the demon. Again he held up his hand deflecting the magic send it back to her causing her and Piper to fall backwards. The demon turned back to Ann. Grinning slightly he pursed his lips, blew at him and she  
withered into a small black crisp burned alive. His slight smirk turned into a grin as he vanished in a fiery blaze. The stench of burnt sulfur was all the remained at the scene of their encounter.

"Damn it!" yelled Melinda as picked herself and Talia up off the ground. "Mom!" she then screamed hoppling over to the other two witches.

"Whoa. This used to be a lot easier!" mumbled Piper as her daughters helped her to her feet. "And my bones didn't ached as much.

Melinda warmed her hands up to heal her as Piper waved her off.

"I'm all right. I don't mind the reminder for a little, ooo, while. Your father can take care of me."

Patti shook her head. "That was quite an encounter. What happened?"

"That blasted demon knew every step we were going to take," said an exasperated Piper.

"Maybe we're just too predictable," suggested Melinda who had started to heal Patti with her hands.

"Or that guy was tougher than most. That's two empaths under our protection that he has killed in the last two days," sighed Talia.

"No, our radar is just not as good as it used to be. We just don't see them coming," explained Piper as she was helped up and they headed to their car. "If he gets number three then that Prophesy of Arman will come true and the Source will rise again. THAT'S all we need!"

"Mom, we've had pretty good luck working together," suggested Melinda. "Each of our talents compliment each other and we watched each others' backs pretty well."

Piper patted her daughter face. "Yes, dear. We work out well, but believe me this is not like it was in the beginning. A new demon every week! Let's get our little coven back home."

Halliwell Manor. The same house that Piper had sworn never to return to almost forty years before had been the center of their coven of four witches for the last seven years. Also the home of Patti, her husband and her twins David and Wendy, the four of them met hunched over by the weight of their task.

"How are we going to protect Evan McDerrick?" exclaimed Melinda.

"Pretty lousy set of witches we are," moaned Talia kicking at the dirt on the floor. Little had changed in the attic in all those years. Castoffs filled the attic and the Book of Shadows was in the center positioned on the old wrought iron bookstand.

"Talia. You're a very talented witch. We wouldn't be whole without you. Now not another word about it. It's this demon. We need to find a way to get at him. Potions don't work, our powers don't stop him. We need a good thinking session here," suggested Piper.

"Two dead innocents and I'm about ready to quit," lashed out Patti.

"Believe me that doesn't work. What we really need is more juice in our punch!" said Piper thoughtfully.

The sound of bells chimed as Leo joined their little think fest. "They feel the same way. The Elders."

"Dad!" jumped back Melinda as he appeared behind them without his mystical aging makeup looking younger than her own 35 years.

"Nice to see you, darling," she said kissing him on the cheek.

"So what do the high holies have to say now?" asked Piper.

"Now don't get jumpy, Piper," he said holding her hand.

"What could possibly do that? I haven't freaked in years," she said shaking her head and joshing him.

She looked up and two more solid figures joined them. "AAAAAH! Prue! PHOEBE!" she screamed jumping back two feet.

"Hi sis!" waved Phoebe.

"I think that was a little bit of a freak-out," chimed in Prue. "It's still good to see you, Piper."

Both of her daughters just looked on in wonder. They had conjured up their spirits from time to time, but had never seen them in person.

"You're real?" asked Patti.

"Yep. Down to the ..um toes?" shrugged Phoebe who wiggled them in her sandals "Do you know that last time I could do that? Feels funny!"

"Everything should. We're kind of rusty on this living thing," said Prue who reached over and hugged Piper.

Instead of hugging back Piper's eyes opened wide and darted all around the room "Um, that has a familiar feel to it, but I didn't think you were that warm any more, Prue. Lately I've been more seeing through you, ghostlike, that is," said Piper a little nervously.

"So we're back! Temporarily. The Elders felt you need that the extra punch so they reconstituted The Charmed Ones!" piped in Phoebe.

"And you still have all your powers?" asked Piper to which Phoebe levitated, Prue moved the chair next to them and then projected herself to the other side of the attic.

"Boy, that felt good!" sighed Prue as she returned to her body.

"And with the added bonus of the power of three, we should be able to kick that demon's ass clear into the netherworld!" yelled Phoebe.

"You haven't changed a bit!" said Piper shaking her head.

"Neither have you Grams!" replied Phoebe who immediately replied "Oops!"

Piper gave her a wicked look and then replied, "I am a grandmother you know, which makes you a great aunt."

"Doesn't mean much over here where you can run into your great- great-great- great- great- great- great-grandfather. Though they are cute. And you did such a good job with these two little witches. Better than I ever turned out!" said Phoebes looking a little downtrodden.

"You did fine, Phoebes," said Piper sounding very motherly.

"Yea, that's why you had the husband and family and I just hung around and floated through the air for the last four decades. It's not so much being dead or missing the living stuff. Its just feeling like you could have counted more if I'd been around."

"Don't worry about us, Piper. Worry about the living and leave the dead to themselves. It just is tougher when you die young like we did. Though it was nobody's fault. Just the way that was destined for us. Just like you were destined to keep the Halliwell line and the craft going," said Prue while she held the poor Phoebe. "But we have a job to do and very little time to do it in. These bodies are only going to hold up till midnight tomorrow night."

"What? You heisted someone's bo-dee?" asked Piper shaking her head not quite getting it.  
"Hey, we're not like grave digging Jesse Jameses!" said an indigent Prue.

"Make that Jessie and Jamie, sister dear," interrupted Phoebe. "But if we're here to get one thing done, I suggest we go after it Charmed One style. Piper, dear. Do we have our old scribing crystal? I assume the map is a little out of date by now."

"I'll get it for you, Aunt Phoebe. Gee, that sounds grave," Melinda mumbled to herself.

"Well, hello! Guess where we're beyond from? I mean we're like Night of the Living Phoebe's!" quipped the youngest Halliwell.

Piper turned to Prue. "Did we ever talk like that?"

"Constantly. It's you that progressed. We're still like stuck in the nineties, Piper dear," said Prue.

"Um, here's the map," said Patti cautiously. Melinda handed the crystal to Phoebe.

"OK, where oh where is the demon gone? Swing my little friend, swing," said Phoebe very melodically. Back and forth she swung it over ever corner of the map. Left and right. Up and Down. North and south. East and west. And nothing. "Come on spirits. I can't be THAT rusty. A simple scribing. I could use some help. This is like FedEx  
to the min!"

"FedEx?" asked Talia.

"Um. Never mind. Another lifetime," said Phoebe.

"And now what? WE give up?" asked Melinda looking quite discouraged.

"Nope. He must not be on our astral plane. So we have to fight him off with our old Power of Three spell," explained Prue.

"And risk losing another innocent? I think not, Aunt Prue," said Patti crossing he arms and standing next to Patti.

"Ancient magical tricks just won't cut it," replied Patti looking just as disbelieving.  
Phoebe and Prue looked hurt.

Piper exploded, "That spell saved our butts more than once, young ladies!"

Phoebe turned to Piper. "Now that's the Piper I remember!"

"It's getting mixed up with you two again," grinned Piper.

"And yes, I have missed you too!" she finally said overcoming her earlier shock.

Prue and Phoebe hugged her, but Phoebe quickly let go, squinting and collapsing in the chair.

"Whoa. That was as bad as the first one. I guess I am rusty at all this witchy stuff. My overwhelming premonition saw this big green monster like demon. He was speaking to an upper level demon about three windows to others souls," said Phoebe totally collapsed and perspiring on the settee.

"That would be the empaths. Anything else, Aunt Phoebe?" asked Patti.

Phoebe shook her head. "No wait. They were chatting and the upper level demon used a name. Jaznex. I'm sure about that!" she said raising her eyebrows in typical Phoebe fashion.

Melinda was on the Book of Shadows. "That's what we need!" She flipped through it for several minutes and then, " Eureka!"

"How Greek of you!" replied Prue as she joined her. "A lower class of servant demon blessed with great power. He can deflect magic and throw disruptive balls of force. And here is a vanquishing spell."

"Hopefully one the three of us can turn against him," said Piper looking over her shoulder.

"We've tried that before," said a doubtful Patti.

"But we didn't have a name," said Piper. "That was the scary thing when we don't know our opponent."

"Well, I don't see how we're going to stop him if we don't know where he is!" said Talia.

"That's where we use our last empath as bait," said Phoebe.

Patti shook her head wildly, "We lost two innocents just trying to defend them. I don't want to lose our last one."

"You'll find to catch a bear, you need some honey. As dangerous as it seems, we have to put him in danger so that we can free him," said Prue. "That's often the way we did things."

"And that's the way we'll do it," said Piper. "Together?"

"Together!" Prue and Phoebe replied smiling so much their jaws hurt.

"Hey, how about something to eat. I haven't eaten in forty years!" said Phoebe.

"I think I remember where the kitchen is. And I wouldn't mind some food either!" said Prue.

"Last one to the kitchen is a tired archangel!" yelled Phoebe as she raced down the steps through their own stomping grounds.

"That's our aunts?" asked Melinda.

Piper just looked up and smiled. "That's the Charmed  
Ones!"

"So anyway, this old entity takes over me and the house. Like it turns into shocky time all around the kitchen. And I get this REALLY neat power. I can materialize things out of thin air," said Phoebe who can't seem to stop rambling on. "Oo, these blackberry  
crumpets are good."

"You forget about all the senses and their delights on the other side. Even the warm glow of that that thingy over there," said Prue thoroughly enjoying her late night meal.

"A thermal conductive heater. One small unit heats the entire floor," said Piper.

"Amazing! The house looks great. Patti you are a wonder," remarked Prue. "We left our heritage in good hands."

"Left is right. Not that I don't consider it my fault, too. Your demise, that is" said Piper a little quieter.

"Hey, I was the eyes in the back of our heads. If it was anyone's fault it was mine," said Phoebe grabbing another crumpet.

"That makes six, Phoebes," said Prue shooting her a wicked glance.

"Cut the little dead sister a break. I'm kind of beyond any earthly problems, Prue," shot back Phoebe.

"This sounds familiar, too," replied Piper. "But seriously, you leaving us was a long time ago and I did get over the loss of my two sisters, though there is still this empty place in my heart."

"I guess that was our destiny. Not to be charmed for more than a few years. Pity. We were pretty great together," said Prue.

"Yep, the best. Well, now we have an innocent to protect and a demon to find," said Phoebe grabbing one more to go.

In the fashionable new Highlands Condo development, Piper knocked on the door of Evan McDerrick at a very early six AM.

"Who is it?" a sleepy sounding grouch yawned answering the door. He opened it to find six women congregating around the door. "I gave to your whatever at the office. Good night!"

"Mr. McDerrick. You are in grave danger," warned Piper.

"Who sells cemetery plots at this hour? Good night!" he said slamming the door.

"Fine. Let him go without our protection," snapped Talia.

"I don't come all this way to be brushed off!" said Prue defiantly. She lowered her head and the door flew open. She was the first one who marched in. "Mr. McDerrick. There is a demon named Jaznex that has your number. That is he is planning on killing you very soon. It's our job to protect you!"

"What's a demon? You a bunch of Galaxy Rangers or something?" he asked.

"No we're not with some kid's sensory show. We are witches and according to our sources you are a wanted empath," said Piper.

"An end path to what?" he asked now fully awake but not fully understanding the women.

"Could he not be aware of his powers?" asked Talia.

"Or are we breaking in on an innocent innocent?" quipped Phoebes.

"No Phoebes. The Elders were quite specific. This gentleman is the third in his triad. If he dies, then literally all hell will break lose," said Piper shaking her head. "Now, Mr. McDerrick, do you find yourself extra sensitive compared to others you know? Do you like know when people are in pain?"

"Sometimes. I have felt what others in another room were feeling. How did you know? I always thought it was a coincidence," he said now truly listening to them.

"Try me," said Phoebes.

"No, bad idea. Try me," said Piper. "You're so dead um.. tired from yesterday, so to speak. Take my hand Mr. McDerrick," said Piper. "What do you feel?"

He reluctantly took her hand and felt a rush straight to his head. Feeling lightheaded he sat down.

Melinda sat next to him. "You all right? What did you feel?"

"Caring. Someone caring a great deal. And it was directed toward me. A stranger," he said shaking his head.

"That's my Mom. One giant C.A.R.E. package," she said patting his hand.

"So can we help you? The danger directed at you is quite real," said  
Piper.

"OK. I um.. have to sort out all these new strange sensations. It's like I was you feeling the things you did," Mr. McDerrick said in an almost dreamlike state.

"That's basically what an empath is. Someone who feels what another does. You have a sensory link to another person" explained Phoebe.

"It's a mixed blessing. Believe me, I've been there," said Prue. "You will have to learn to control and direct it."

"As long as he gets the CHANCE to learn," Piper said with a little terse edge in her voice.

"All right, Mr. McDerrick. Please go change. We'll convene down here," said Talia turning him toward the stairs and his bedroom.

"Convene what?" asked Mr. McDerrick.

Phoebe looked at him real cute, "Why a coven, of course. We're all witches!"

"Phoebe!" snapped Prue.

Piper shook her head toward her sisters and then replied. "Yep, real potion making people. Spells and incantations and the like. Now change into something before.."

"Before you turn me into something?" he gulped.

"I was going to say before we figure out how to help you. We are GOOD WITCHES, Mr. McDerrick. Now scoot," she said shoving him upstairs. "It's always the same when someone learns that they're special and gifted. Total disbelief long before the final acceptance comes."  
"I remember," said Phoebe. "Now what about our little cute friend upstairs?"

"Cute? Well, just don't act on it. We should form a defensive circle and then put him in the middle. Distract the demon with our powers and then freeze the sucker!" said Piper looking very anxious.

"I think she really enjoys this," said Phoebe to Prue.

"Absolutely. Keeps them young!" she said squinting a bit at Piper who just threw her a very dirty look.

Many hours past. Morning turned into afternoon that turned into nighttime. The group sat around not saying much since the tension was so high. The coven of Piper Wyatt had only one more shot to destroy the demon Jaznex. And only one more innocent left to defend in this demonic battle. Piper truly pained thinking of the two they lost earlier in the week. And before her sat a reminder of the worse loss she ever had suffered. Prue and Phoebe.

"So you want something to eat, Phoebes?" Piper asked.

"Nope, just not hungry. This waiting is like so intense!" she said shaking her hands in front of you.

"Forty years of just hanging around the cosmos and now you're nervous?" asked Piper tilting her head to one side.

"Things are so much different over there. No feeling, no time, no cares. Only if one we knew over here is in trouble do we even have any meaning to our existence. We're still ourselves, but we have no sensory inputs and no real purpose," explained Prue.

That sounds so awful," said Patti.

"Its not. Dead is too bad. It just isn't this here. It is an entire different reality with its own rules. And you won't understanding them until you're there," said Prue to Patti.

"And don't rush it. We don't want you visiting us until way after St. Noonan's Day. And this little reminder here will keep us with fond memories for eternity. And longer," said Phoebe smiling her biggest grin that went from ear to ear.

"So you two are like dead?" asked Mr. McDerrick.

"Sad to say. Just think of us as your guardian angels from the other side. That's our job. Watching the rears of real people like you," quipped Phoebe as a low rumble could be heard coming from above.

"Stations everyone," yelled Piper. "Stand up! No, you stay on the floor!" Piper said to their charge.

A light that changed to a green glow started from the ceiling as the green goblin of demons appeared and laughed evilly at the assemblage of witches. Talia threw a bolt at him that he deflected caused Phoebe to jump high. Piper threw a blast toward him as he deflected it causing the living room window to break into a million pieces. He flew toward Evan as Prue concentrated on him and he was thrown backwards.

"So you do have your limits," yelled Piper as the demon growled back and grabbed Evan.

Piper looked both scared and peeved and threw the biggest freeze she had ever tried at him as both the innocent and the demon made like swinging statues in the air.

"Wow, Mom. That was fab-tablulus!" yelled Melinda in glee. Piper laid down on the floor totally exhausted. "And that's the last time. I am completely wasted! What a show, Jeez," said Piper as

Phoebe helped her back up.

"Feel up to one last Power of Three spell?" Phoebe said pushing her hair back.

"For this greening slime sucking dirt bag hair ball? YOU BET YOUR  
ASS!" Piper said standing up more determined than ever.

"Mom, please. None of us have eaten," said Patti looking a little nauseated.

Piper pulled out the spell, and stood next to Prue and Phoebe. They began to read the incantation:

"Green demon Jaznex  
We summon this hex,  
Exit the world and  
Into the next.  
Pain you have cause,  
Will quickly cease,  
Out of our sight,  
Leave us in peace."

The demon frozen on a stick began to spin faster and faster. As his moaning began to weaken he exploded into a thousand pieces of green goo spreading across the apartment. While the others looked a little sick, Prue, Phoebes and Piper gave themselves a big hug.

"We still got it!" yelled Phoebe.

"That was quite satisfying," agreed Prue.

"And we did it together," replied Piper. "All three of us."

Much later as the clock read close to twelve, the Charmed Ones sat on the floor around a solitary candle. While the younger witches helped Mr. McDerrick through his own troubled feelings. Prue, Piper and Phoebe sat and talked.

"It's so quiet up here. Not a sound," said Phoebe looking deep into the flame.

"Just like when we were at camp. I wish we had some marshmallows," said Piper a bit dreamily.

"And have Phoebe making a mess?" replied Prue.

Phoebe looked up indignantly. "I did not!"

"Phoebe, we'd give you a toasted marshmallow and in seconds you'd have it all in your hair and between your fingers and all over your clothes," said Prue with a bit of whimsy in her voice.

"What?" she said now looking quite mad.

"Prue, I think she stopped that when she was five!" Piper reminded Prue.

"That explains it!" retorted Phoebe. "Or was it fifteen. She never did grow up!" said Prue  
sounding more nostalgic than critical.

"But it was that youthful exuberance that helped us out more than once. We needed that reminding more than once," said Piper patting her little sister who looked distressed. "What's wrong?"

"I never grew out of it and then I never grew up at all. I'm really, really dead!" she said falling into Piper's lap. "It seems to matter more over here. Too many reminders of what life is and that it was over too fast!" cried Phoebe.

"It's OK Phoebes. It'll be OK," said Piper now rocking her just a bit.

Then the clock sounded. Bong. Bong. Bong.

Phoebes looked up with tears in her eyes. "And so it ends again."

Bong. Bong.

"At least we can say goodbye, this time," cried Piper.

Bong. Bong.

"Yes. I love you, Piper. You've done great with your life and your kids!" cried Phoebe.

Bong. Bong.

"Live your life to its fullest. You always have, but don't forget it! Love you," said Prue hugging her gently.

Bong. Bong.

"Good bye, my sweet sisters," said Piper kissing them both quickly and stepping back.

Bong. The last chime.

Phoebe waved while Prue just stood there, tall and proud. And they faded away. Piper finished her half wave, wiped her tears and went downstairs very slowly.

On the mantle still sat the faded picture of the three of them taken before they received the unearthly powers changed their lives. Piper reached up, ran her finger along its side and then picked it up holding it tightly. Walking over to the couch, she collapsed crying  
like she never had before. For quite a long time Piper soaked the pillow thoroughly. And then she stopped.  
"Phoebe, Prue. I do love you so. The hurt is still there. The pain is still there. But you both are still there.. in my heart. But.. I have to move on. In fact, I did," she said perking up a bit.

She stood up, placed the picture back on the mantel adjusting it just so.

"Look's good," she thought to herself. Walking out of the Manor she had a new sense of purpose and of peace. She finally said goodbye to her sisters. She finally had closure. And out she walked into her world with just a slight smile on her face. The smile was from her memories. Memories of the Charmed Ones.


End file.
